Invention relates to digital networks, particularly to multi-layer switching network apparatus and method.
Conventional local area network (LAN) and TCP/IP have become dominant technologies in computer networking. As businesses increasingly rely on such technologies, both LAN size and TCP/IP traffic volume that runs across them have grown dramatically. This has led the network manager on continuous search for products to increase network performance, easily adapt to changing network requirements, and preserve existing network investment.
Presently, LAN technology is evolving into Gigabit per second (Gbps) range. Equipment designers have been challenged to make network interfaces and networking products such as bridges, routers, and switches, fast enough to take advantage of the new performance. Compounding the equipment design problem has been the rapid innovation in networking protocols. The traditional response to this shifting sands problem has been to build easily upgradable software-intensive products. Unfortunately, these software intensive products typically exhibit poor system performance.
Accordingly, there is need for a new generation of internetworking devices capable of gigabit speeds, but with the flexibility of previous software intensive products.
Invention resides in a multilayer switching device and associated technique for enabling simultaneous wire-speed routing at layer 3, wire-speed switching at layer 2, and support multiple interfaces at layer 1, according to OSI reference model. Inventive implementation may be embodied using one or more integrated circuits (ASIC), RISC processor, and software, thereby providing wire-speed performance on interfaces, in various operational modes.